Improvement in lamp-shades



M. H. COLLINS.

Improvement in Lamp-Shades. N0. 114,766. Patented May1-6,\871.

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MICHAEL H. COLLINS, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 114,766, dated May 16, 18:71.

e e IMPROVEMENTIN LAMP-SHADES.

The Schedule mien-ed to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all to whom these presents may come.-

Be it known that I, MICHAEL H. Course, of Chelsea, in the countyofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovernents. in Lamp-Shades; and do hereby declare the same tobe fullydescribed in the following specification and represented in theaccompanying drawing, of which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of ashade as made in accordance with my invention.

My invention has reference to-that class of metallic shades whose upperparts are provided with a series of radial arms or springs which embraceand bear against the external surface of a lamp, or Argand burnerchimney with a force sufficient to support the shade thereon.

. The first part of my invention consists in forming the shade of aseries offsegments' of thin sheet metal, each of which has its base andsprings formed of a single piece, the said segments being broughttogether and rigidly'secured by soldering, seaming, or riveting, soas'to form thefrustum of a' cone or pyramid, which is practicallyneither collapsible, expansible, or contractible, but firmly maintainsits normal status under all circumstances, while the said springs are ofsuch construction and tension as to render the shade applicable to allordinary lamp-chim-,

Third, in a peculiar method of forming the openings in the shade, andsecuring the ornamentation or transparencies thereto or therein.

In fig. 1 of the drawing A denotes an ordinary lamp-chimney to which theshade is applied. I B is the body of the shade, from the upper part ofwhich a series of radial arms or springs, G C, 850., ex-

tends.

The said shade is composed of a series of segments, D-D, &c., eachhaving its base and springs stamped from a. single piece of thin metal,as shown in Figure 2, thesaid segments being firmly and rigidly .unitedtogether by seaming and soldering, or otherwise, so as to produce thefrustum of a cone or pyramid.

The said springs O O, &c., are formed concave on their outer extremitiesin order toconform to and fit the curved surface of the chimney, andthereby secure the greatest amount of bearing surface to aid insustaining the shade.

I would remark that I am aware that clasps for shades have been madewith two sets of springs, one of which had its bearings above and theother below its base.

This arrangement of the springs is objectionable on several accountsFirst, the lower series is brought so near the flame as to soon lose itselastic power,

Second, with certain styles of chimneys (especially those bulging neartheir centers) such arrangement was impracticable and 1 Third, sucharrangement of the springs rendered the application of the shade to thechimney difficult.

By my arrangement of the springs thesediificulties are avoided, as theentire series of springs have their bearings above their bases and near.the top of the chimney, and thus are so far removed from the source ofheat as to better maintain their normal elastic condition; besides, myarrangement of the springs gives a more equable support to the shade, aswell as renders it applicable to all styles of chimneys and with greatfacility.

' For the purpose of reducing the weight of the shade, as well as toornament the same, I make a series of openings or perforations, E E,850;, in the body thereof, in which tablets, pictures, ortransparencies, F, are inserted.

This part of my inventionI will now describe.

The holes to receive the tablets (which may be of paper, porcelain, orany other suitable .material,) are to be stamped in the body of thesegments, before they are united, by means of a die of the desired formand size.

In the drawing, fig. 1, the periphery of .the per-foe ration E is shownas made with a series of serrations, a a, to .constitute a bezel to holdthe tablet or picture. To accomplish this each alternate tooth, or anynumber of alternate teetln'are to be pressed either upward or downward,as may be desirable, by means of a press, and at a right angle to theplane of the shade.

The tablet or transparency is next laid upon the face of the unbentteeth, and the bent teeth are forced back into their'normal position anddown upon the edge of the tablet, whereby the latter will be firmlysecured to the shade; or a small number of the teeth may be formed onthe periphery and then bent at right angles to the shade-and the tabletlaid upon the same, so as to puncture it; or holes may be made in thetablet, through which the teeth may pass and be turned over upon thesame, so as to securely fix it in place.

A modification of this part of my invention, or an.

other mode of affixing the ornamental tablet or transparency, is to formthe periphery of the openings plain, or without serrations, and punch orstrike up a series of teeth or pins at a short distance from and aroundthe periphery; then lay the tablet within the encircling row of teeth,and next press the teeth over and upon the tablet.

in I do not claim a shade having its base and springs made up of aseries of segments hinged or upited as shown in Letters Patent No.86,987 or 100,150, as my invention differs therefrom in having all thesegments composing't-he shade rigidly and firmly secured together, thesprings being of such length and elastic force as to render the shadeadapted to all the ordinary-sized lamp-chimneys in use.

Having described my invention,

What 1 claim is as follows:

1. A shade, for a lamp or Argand burner, made of sheet metal, withflexible springs, constructed in segments which are so shaped and firmlyand rigidly united by seaming or riveting as to form the frn'stnm 3. Ina shade made of thin sheet metal and formed with one or moreperforations to receive tablets or transparencies, forming snch openingswith a serrated' bezel, or with a series of teeth, by which suchtablets, 8250., may be securely afiixed to the shade, in manner as setforth.

' M. H. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

OHARLns A. PHILLIPS, JOHN W. HUDSON.

